Mark Addy

Introduced to American audiences as one of the amateur male strippers of "The Full Monty" (1997), Mark Addy made a cottage industry of playing men of unlimited ambition and unfulfilled potential. A gr...
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Fascinating Fact:

By:
WENN.com
Dec 10, 2013

Former Spice Girls star Geri Halliwell has landed a cameo on U.K. TV comedy series Trollied. The pop star will play herself in the upcoming Christmas episode of the show, which is set in a supermarket and stars Jane Horrocks and Mark Addy. The episode will air in the U.K. on Christmas Eve (24Dec13).

You're probably going to die. That's what the powers that be would have us believe, anyhow. And depending on the school of thought to which you subscribe, the form your hereafter will take can vary quite a bit: some will ascend to Heaven, some will approach Nirvana, some will crash land onto a polar bear-laden island until learning to appreciate the people around them. And some — a very select few, in fact — will turn into snowmen.
In the second half of a mystical, long-forgotten era known as the 1990s, the American Rockies were overtaken by a bizarrely specific phenomenon of human reincarnation. In 1997, just before Christmas, an apprehended serial killer was ostensibly killed when a collision of the police vehicle charged with delivering him to his imminent execution and a cargo truck filled with dangerous chemicals resulted in the dousing of the criminal with the gene-altering substances contained within the latter. Right around the same time, the snowy roads of Colorado took another victim: an aspiring musician and family man who was blinded by the inclement weather and driven to his presumed demise.
Both individuals were white American-born males nearing the age of 40, residents of the United States Mountain Region, and faced with a distinct character flaw that would fuel their eventual foray past the bounds of worldly mortality (one being too preoccupied with his blossoming music career to pay due attention to his young son; the other being a sociopathic murderer). And both men — these outliers in the grand constitution of science that facilitates our journeys through and limits within this unconscionable plight of being — were named Jack Frost.
Jack Frost vs. Jack Frost
You'll probably remember the 1998 Warner Bros. feature Jack Frost, starring Michael Keaton as an absentee dad (the sort you'd find in just about every family movie in the '90s, doesn't it seem?) who dies, transforms into a snowman, and uses his new form to (ironically) warm the heart of his lonely son (Joseph Cross). You might not remember a similarly titled film released, in some capacity, a year earlier: Jack Frost, starring Scott MacDonald as a serial killer who dies, transforms into a snowman, and uses his new form to commit a string of murders in a nearby small town. So, is it name alone that these two films share? Let's look at the similarities:
Title: Jack Frost, obviously
Hero's name: Jack Frost — the absurdity of this is only referenced in the Keaton film.
Setting: Colorado (only explicitly stated in the Keaton film, although Denver is suggested to be nearby in the MacDonald picture).
Cause of death of hero: Vehicular accident (or, at least, something that happens immediately after a car accident).
Local annual winter festival: The significance is played up more greatly in the horror than in the family movie, but they both have one.
Precocious child who nobody else believes about the living snowman: They both have one.
Sledding bullies: Each has its own gaggle (the horror film's get their comeuppance, the family film's are shown to have inner good).
Prevalence of snow puns: Excessive throughout both movies, to the point where the vast majority of both Keaton's and MacDonald's dialogue can be followed by, "Get it? Because he's a snowman!"
Inadequate law enforcement: Check and check.
Leaky kitchen pipes: Both have 'em.
And now, the differences:
Directed by: Troy Miller (the family movie). Michael Cooney (the horror movie).
Rated: PG and R, respectively.
Hero's plight: Keaton needs to redeem himself for being an inconsiderate father, and to bring his son to a point of emotional closure over his passing. MacDonald just wants to keep on killing, presumably until he does away with the man who caught him in the first place, Sheriff Tiler (Christopher Allport).
How he's revived: Magic: Keaton is brought back thanks to a wish bequeathed upon him by son Charlie while playing the harmonica his dad gave him right before he died. Science: MacDonald's genes are mutated and conjoined with the atomic makeup of the snow beneath him when he is doused with a Secret World of Alex Mack-esque chemical on the side of the highway.
Hero's arms: Keaton has sticks, MacDonald has mitten-like snow arms.
Hero's nose: Keaton has a button nose, a la Frosty, while MacDonald opts for the traditional carrot.
Hero's weaknesses: Heat of any kind will melt, and do away with, Keaton. MacDonald can only be undone (and even then, for how long?!) by antifreeze.
Fate of the hero: Keaton dies, promising his son that he will always live on in his heart. MacDonald, supposedly, never dies, as we see his melted form bubbling hostilely beneath the Earth's surface in a container of antifreeze in the last shot of the movie.
Lessons learned: Keaton's: Family is more important than anything; never give up; death is a part of life; part of growing up means moving on. MacDonald's: well, there's this weird tangent about the human soul actually being a chemical bond, but it's largely overlooked.
Zappas: Keaton's has three (Dweezil, Ahmet, and Moon Unit), MacDonald's has none.
So what are we to conclude about these stories? Wholly different in some ways, starkly similar in others, and remarkably close in their timing of release? Well, there's really only one logical conclusion: they're the same story, told from two very different perspectives.
Covered up by totalitarian Colorado news circuit was the story of a middle-aged everyman Jack Frost who was killed on the side of the road and then transformed, either right away or one year later, into a snowman. In an effort to learn more about the fantastic account, reporters hit his small mountain town, seeking out anyone who might be able to shed a light on the deceased. Eventually, they came upon someone wronged by the late Jack Frost: perhaps (as seen in the Keaton picture) an angry neighborhood hockey coach (Henry Rollins), one of the fellow's shirked band members, or even young Charlie Frost, Jack's neglected son. Any one of these figures might hold a grudge against the departed, painting him as such as a monstrous killer in an act of misguided vengeance.
But of course, diligent journalism would lead the investigators of this tale to friends of Jack: perhaps his best pal Mark Addy, one of the aforesaid Zappas, or his widow, Gabby (Kelly Preston). Any one of these individuals would surely describe Jack with elegiac holiness, making him out to be a saint beyond all others. Their grief would drive them to an idealization of a man prone to selfish acts, such as missing out on his son's hockey game, or bombarding a bunch of helpless kids with a cavalcade of icy snowballs (that happens in the non horror movie).
Somewhere between these accounts rests the real story: the true account of an average jackass — not a horrible guy, but not a great one either — who lived a humdrum life before returning in snowman form to neither kill innocents nor guide his son to enlightenment. He probably just wandered around, confused and horrified, about the form he had taken, until his ultimate resting form as a solemn puddle on the side of a Rocky Mountain road. But Hollywood isn't interested in middle grounds. They want extremes! Horror, blood, and gore! Or charm, laughs, and lessons! And so, the legend of Jack Frost was twisted, contorted, and itself transformed into something wholly... nonhuman: Jack Frost and Jack Frost. Two very different, highly fantastical movies about one regular guy who just happened to turn into a snowman one day.
[Photo Credit: Warner Bros, A-Pix Entertainment]
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You don't need to have a PhD in foreign relations to understand that heads are going to roll in season two of HBO's phenomenal fantasy drama Game of Thrones. By the time the inaugural season had wrapped last summer, Sean Bean's Ned Stark was beheaded and Jason Momoa Khal Drogo was killed while Mark Addy's Robert Baratheon and a gaggle of other notable noblemen from the world of Westeros were taken out. When royalty falls there's always bloodshed, and anyone familiar with George R.R. Martin's source material knows all about the battles that await the seven houses.
In spite of the obvious, HBO's just-released poster promoting the upcoming season of Thrones makes the message crystal clear. WAR IS COMING. Lives will be lost. Blood will be spilled. The image contains little else apart from an air date - April 1 - which will be one hell of a Fool's Day this year. Check out the poster below and express your fanboy-isms below.

The writer, who penned the fantasy novels A Song of Ice and Fire, which the hit HBO series is based on, planned to put scripts from two episodes of the show under the hammer at the sci-fi WorldCon event later this week (beg15Aug11).
But after he had the screenplays sent over for him to sign, he discovered both manuscripts had been stolen.
In a post on his blog, Martin writes, "The US post office delivered the envelope in a plastic baggie with a pre-printed note apologising for the 'damage', but this was no error in handling. The envelope was torn open at one end, and both scripts were gone... I am convinced the scripts were stolen.
"Like (character from the books) Bloodraven, I have a thousand eyes and one. So let's keep 'em all peeled, boys and girls."
The show has been signed up for a second season and stars Sean Bean, Mark Addy and Michelle Fairley.

Welcome to For Your Consideration, a new column at Hollywood.com that turns a spotlight to non-big screen media that should be of interest to any film fan, be it a TV show, a video game, a book or any other inherently cinematic bit of awesomeness.
It’s hard to think of a better first entry for For Your Consideration than Game of Thrones, HBO’s new fantasy series that begins airing this coming Sunday, April 17. It’s got everything this column seeks to shine a light on: easily recognizable actors and actresses from film, film writers and directors, and an incredibly rich source material that any movie would be lucky to call its own. The thing is, no movie could claim Games of Thrones’ story as its own since it’d be an impossible task to confine it all into a single film (or even a trilogy), which is why it’s perfectly suited as a 10-episode series on HBO. So let’s dive into who made it, who is in it, what’s it about and why you should go out of your way to see it.
Who Made It: A Game of Thrones is actually the first book in an ongoing fantasy series (the fifth book will be published this July) called A Song of Ice and Fire. The series’ author, George R.R. Martin, actually comes from a background in television, having written for the likes of The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits and Beauty and the Beast. Back in the early 90s he grew tired of having to write stories that would be constrained by TV budgets, and so he turned his crosshairs to books, a medium where one’s imagination has an unlimited budget. 1996 saw the first publication of A Game of Thrones and now, some 15 years later, 2011 sees the TV show adaptation of a story that was once considered impossible to ever put on the small (or big) screen.
As for who created the TV show, those duties lay with David Benioff and Dan Weiss, the latter of whom is new to film and television, but Benioff has been in the industry for nearly a decade, having written Troy (yay?), The 25th Hour (Yay!), and X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Boo!). But don’t let the series’ creators ties to Wolverine dissuade you; Game of Thrones is not some cash-in greenlit by Fox and rushed through production. It’s been years in the works. Plus, HBO rightly saw fit to bring on George R.R. Martin as an executive producer, constantly seeking his advice and even asking him to write several of the episodes.
Who’s In It: Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings), Peter Dinklage (The Station Agent), Lena Heady (300), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Kingdom of Heaven), Mark Addy (Robin Hood), Jason Momoa (the upcoming Conan the Barbarian remake) and approximately over 9,000 other people.
What’s It About: A Game of Thrones is a story about the ancient kingdom of Westeros and the political struggle between its major families to take control of the Iron Throne, the King’s seat forged out of the swords of the enemies killed to obtain it. Yes, I said political struggle. This isn’t orcs and wyverns versus humans and elves; this is man versus man stabbing each other in the back in order to take power.
There are hints and flareups of the supernatural in the story, but they’re established early and then mainly used as an ongoing threat. There is a giant, man-made wall of ice to the North of Westeros that was built to keep out all manner of inhuman beasties, and there is a family to the South that threatens to cross the sea and retake its lost throne using all of the might of the (now extinct) dragons their ancestors once controlled. But overall this is a very grounded story that takes place in a fantastical setting.
Why You Should Watch It: Simply put, I have never encountered a fantasy series better than A Game of Thrones. It may not have all of the crazy creatures and races found in Azeroth or Middle Earth, but its story is absolutely riveting. It’s dense and complicated with a myriad of interesting characters that you fall in love with and Martin tells it all in a very matter-of-fact way. And even though he once thought it would be impossible to adapt for TV just because of budget, the source material is actually a perfect marriage for the medium since Martin’s background in TV gives all of the chapters a very episodic feel, complete with twists, cliffhangers and surprise revelations that will keep people tuning in week after week.
If you’re worried that it’ll be like other fantasy series in recent years, don’t. A Game of Thrones is nothing like Legend of the Seeker (adapted from the Sword of Truth series) or Merlin. It’s got a dead serious tone to it and Martin isn’t afraid to not only endanger his characters, but to outright chop their heads off if it’s in service of his story. Hell, I can’t even think of the last time I was so engaged by a story that I was completely heartbroken by what happens to some of its characters. Martin is a ruthless writer and it’s going to make for addicting television, I guarantee it.
Basically, if you’re the kind of person that thinks too many TV shows dumb down their material so its accessible to the lowest common denominator, then A Game of Thrones is for you. This is a dark and dense story that is expertly told. Having seen the first two episodes and having spoken at length with a good friend who has seen all of them (and who hadn’t read a single page of the books), I’m confident, and relieved, to report that it is an incredibly faithful adaptation. That may actually be a problem for some at first, since it takes no breathers to explain who people are or what they’re doing, but considering someone who hasn’t read the books went crazy about the series, I think it’s safe to say that Game of Thrones is going to be the next Deadwood, Sopranos, Rome or The Wire-- smart TV that people will still be talking about years after its done airing.

Father Alex Bernier (Heath Ledger) and Father Thomas Garrett (Mark Addy) the last two members of an ancient Catholic order called the Carolinians are summoned from New York to Rome to investigate the mysterious death of their former mentor. The crime scene shows signs that some sort of ritual took place and strange marks on his chest indicate that his death was anything but natural--and they're right. Before his death Dominic (Francesco Carnelutti) who had been excommunicated from the Church had called upon something known as a "sin eater" to "ingest" his sins so he could get a clear shot at the pearly gates. As the myth goes a sin eater is an immortal being who absolves the unforgivable of their sins outside the Church by "eating" their sins. Alex begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together but what he doesn't realize is that the sin eater named William Eden (Benno Furmann) is tired of his immortal life on earth and fraught by centuries of evil needs someone to eat his sins grant him eternal peace and take over the torch. He offers the post to Alex but when he turns down the job Eden is forced to use the woman he secretly loves Mara (Shannyn Sossamon) to manipulate the situation to his advantage.
Ledger (The Four Feathers) is quite convincing here as the complex character Father Alex Bernier. He is old-school yet young and rebellious; he is dedicated to the institution of the Carolinians but also questions some of the Order's traditions. One of the hardest issues Alex grapples with is his fuzzy feelings for Mara a suicidal woman who once tried to kill him during an exorcism. The character a tormented artist is played by Sossamon a wonderful actress who after starring in The Rules of Attraction has truly mastered the dark and troubled persona. Sossamon and Ledger however had much more on-screen chemistry in the period romance A Knight's Tale than they do here. Their relationship in The Order has a platonic feel to it that taints their eventual physical escapade which isn't all that sexy considering how taboo it is. German actor Furmann however steals Ledger and Sossamon's thunder as the sin eater Eden. Eden is such a dichotomous character: he believes in God and is a very spiritual being but he also recognizes the corruption within the Church. He truly considers himself a god and Furmann is able to channel that pre-eminence in an odd sensual kind of way.
Director Brian Helgeland's The Order you may recall was originally slated to open Jan. 17 but 20th Century Fox postponed the release because of some unintentionally funny special effects. A post-production insider who spoke to Variety on condition of anonymity said the effects depicting sins flying out of the human body looked "like calamari." Eight months of post-production work later the flying sins went from looking like calamari to box jellyfish complete with long clear tentacles. But the interesting thing about the effects is that they're not even necessary. Written by Helgeland (A Knight's Tale) this unique story--like most supernatural tales involving religion stigmata and exorcism--is incredibly scary but these blatantly silly special effects only interrupt the chilling tale.The rest of The Order with its cool bluish hues and dusty sets is extremely well shot. Apart from the flying sins effect the only downside to the film is that it has too many subplots which detract from its most interesting premise the immortal sin eater.

In the late 1800s scientist and inventor Alexander Hartdegen (Guy Pearce) builds a time machine in an effort to change the past when his fiancee Emma (Sienna Guillory) is killed. He succeeds in going back in time but is unable to prevent Emma's death. He then travels to a point about 30 years in our future and seeks an answer to his question about why he can't change the past. But when the moon explodes and the Earth goes a little haywire our intrepid time traveler gets knocked unconscious and finds himself 800 000 years into the future. It's an idyllic setting at first glance. He meets the beautiful Mara (Samantha Mumba) and her tribe of peaceful English speaking low-tech cliff-dwellers called the Eloi. Things get dangerous when Hartdegen discovers that humans have evolved into two races with one hunting the other. The Eloi are the sheep and the hideous Morlocks are the hunters. The Uber-Morlock (Jeremy Irons) is fascinated with Hartdegen and his machine and the two square off for the final battle. Will Alexander make it back to his own time? Or will he sacrifice science for love?
The Time Machine belongs solely to Pearce and thankfully he is able to pull it off. If he wasn't completely believable as the time-traveling Hartdegen than the film would certainly be lost because (besides Irons's brief appearance) there are no other major players to contend with. Pearce is an unusual actor and continues to pick projects such as last year's indie gem Memento that stretch his acting abilities. His slightly absent-minded professor persona in the beginning of The Time Machine offsets the determined and courageous man he becomes in the end. Pearce handles these character shifts very subtly and never lapses into predictability even though he has to react constantly to all the changes around him. In the supporting cast Orlando Jones (The Replacements) is hilarious as a 21st century holographic know-it-all and Mark Addy (The Full Monty) does a nice turn as Hartdegen's friend from the 1800s. As far as Irons' scenery-chewing Uber-Morlock it could have been played by any other actor since he didn't add any relevance to the character--or the movie.
There is no need to make comparisons between this updated version and the 1960 film starring Rod Taylor. It's obvious in this day and age of computer-generated imagery the 2002 Time Machine is going to be far superior to its predecessor. It would be an understatement to say the film didn't look absolutely amazing. The way the Earth evolves around Hartdegen's time machine is fascinating and historical at the same time. Also the reason Hartdegen builds the machine to search out answers and heal his pain is a great motivational factor rather than just having the character time-travel for the heck of it. However the same things that made the 1960 version somewhat campy plague this version as well and it's really H.G. Wells' fault. His novel is obviously a sci-fi classic and for its time gave a creepy view of the future: two races of mankind--one grotesque and mole-like the other more gentle and elegant--living in a cannibalistic society. In today's world savvy moviegoing audiences have seen enough of the future to know what's creepy and what's not--and Wells' future just isn't that scary. The world of the Morlocks and Eloi looks like a cross between Lord of the Rings and Planet of the Apes. Still it's enjoyable.

Dinosaurs snapped back to life this weekend as Buena Vista/Disney's "Dinosaur" kicked off to nearly $39 million.
The PG-rated, computer-animated feature, which cut short the chart-topping reign of DreamWorks' "Gladiator," set a record as the year's biggest opening with an ESTIMATED $38.6 million at 3,257 theaters ($11,860 per theater).
"Dinosaur's" per-theater average was the highest for any film playing in wide or limited release this weekend.
"I think it's great," Buena Vista Distribution president Chuck Viane said Sunday morning.
Noting that some studios had estimated the picture as opening to even bigger numbers, Viane said, "I know some of my competitors have given me more credit than we're giving ourselves, but I'd rather see it than say it and then have to back off. If tomorrow (when actual weekend figures are released) it's a bigger number, I won't be embarrassed to tell people I was low. Every now and then, that happens."
Focusing on the film's mid-May arrival, he noted, "We have not had the opportunity to open a movie this big when it wasn't on a holiday weekend. We're not in the summer and we're not on a holiday. We'll be the first to admit that we don't have a model we're as comfortable with as we are when we're matching apples to apples."
Viane pointed out that, looking at the film's grosses market by market, he was particularly pleased that, "We're as big in the inner city as we are in the suburbs. Normally, we're a very suburban-oriented group. Our films always play well at the malls. But it doesn't matter where you are or what theater - whether you're in San Antonio or the Rio Grande Valley or up in Minneapolis - across the board these are fabulous, fabulous numbers. And so consistent. It doesn't happen often, and you just really feel great when it does."
Viane said "Dinosaur" is Disney's third-biggest animated opening ever, "Behind 'Toy Story 2,' which was Thanksgiving (with $57.4 million the weekend of Nov. 26-28, 1999), and "Lion King," which was mid-summer (with $40.9 million the weekend of June 24-26, 1994). For 'Lion King,' every day (was) a holiday, including the day we opened. We out-grossed 'Lion King' Saturday (with 'Dinosaur'). We didn't do as well as 'Lion King' on Friday. Obviously, people were either at work or in school."
Directed by Ralph Zondag and Eric Leighton, "Dinosaur" features such voices as D.B. Sweeney, Ossie Davis, Joan Plowright, Della Reese and Alfre Woodard.
DreamWorks' R-rated action adventure "Gladiator" slid one peg to second place in its third week with a still-muscular ESTIMATED $19.1 million (-23%) at 3,041 theaters (+98 theaters; $6,281 per theater). Its cume is approximately $102.5 million, heading for $175-200 million in domestic theaters.
"It continues to have incredible word-of-mouth, which is generating substantial repeat business, including women, who are now almost 50% of our audience," DreamWorks distribution head Jim Tharp said Sunday morning.
"It really is encouraging. It went over the $100 million mark in 17 days, which actually is the same as 'The Mummy' last year. But 'Mummy' started out about $9 million ahead of us (from its opening weekend). This movie is holding extremely well. It's playing so well, it's unbelievable. And people are seeing this movie three and four times."
DreamWorks is distributing "Gladiator" domestically while Universal is releasing it abroad. The two studios are 50-50 partners, sharing equally in the success of "Gladiator," which reportedly cost $103 million to make.
Directed by Ridley Scott, "Gladiator" stars Russell Crowe.
DreamWorks also found preferred parking in third place with the high-speed arrival of its R-rated youth appeal comedy "Road Trip," opening to an ESTIMATED $15.0 million at 2,530 theaters ($5,929 per theater).
Directed by Todd Philips, it stars Breckin Meyer and Sean William Scott.
"It's off to a really good start," DreamWorks' Tharp said. "It's always great when the opening weekend of a movie grosses the movie's cost. We're very pleased with it. 'There's Something About Mary' in the summertime did about $13 million its first weekend, so this is, I think, a really good number. 'American Pie' was higher than this, but it was also in the summer, on July 9.
"Word-of-mouth is very positive. The only exit (data) I have is from the sneaks. It was 88% in the Top Two Boxes (excellent and very good)."
Overall, it was a terrific weekend for DreamWorks, which had two films in the Top Five, three in the Top Ten and saw "Gladiator" crack the $100 million mark.
"U-571," Universal's PG-13 World War II submarine drama, drifted down one rung to fourth place in its fifth week, still holding nicely with an ESTIMATED $4.61 million (-20%) at 2,736 theaters (-84 theaters; $1,685 per theater). Its cume is approximately $64.4 million, heading for about $75 million in domestic theaters.
Directed by Jonathan Mostow, "U-571" stars Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel and Jon Bon Jovi.
"Frequency" dropped one slot to fifth place in its fourth week, continuing to hold really well with an ESTIMATED $4.3 million (-13%) at 2,202 theaters (-268 theaters; $1,953 per theater). Its cume is approximately $30.3 million, heading for about $40 million in domestic theatres.
Directed by Gregory Hoblit, it stars Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel.
"The drops are great," New Line executive vice president, distribution David Tuckerman said Sunday morning. "It's the fourth week in the marketplace (and it's only down) 13%. That's great."
Warner Bros. and Franchise Pictures' PG-13-rated sci-fi action adventure "Battlefield Earth" plunged four orbits to sixth place in its second weekend with a weak ESTIMATED $3.83 million (-67%) at 3,304 theaters (-3 theaters; $1,159 per theater). Its cume is approximately $18.2 million heading for about $25 million.
Directed by Roger Christian, it stars John Travolta, Barry Pepper and Forest Whitaker.
DreamWorks' Woody Allen PG-rated comedy "Small Time Crooks" opened in seventh place - only about $30,000 behind Warners' estimate for "Battlefield" - to an encouraging ESTIMATED $3.8 million at 865 theaters ($4,393 per theater).
Written and directed by Woody Allen, it stars Allen, Tony Darrow, Hugh Grant, George Grizzard, Jon Lovitz, Elaine May, Michael Rapaport, Elaine Stritch and Tracey Ullman.
"'Small Time Crooks' is just fantastic," DreamWorks' Tharp said. "You expect the biggest eight to 10 markets to do business on a Woody Allen movie. But this movie played on a broader basis. We actually attracted families this weekend. This did family business. I think the rating and the comedy and Tracey Ullman helped.
"We may add a few runs for the holiday weekend. We're going to add a few on 'Road Trip' for Memorial Day weekend, and we may look at this now. Going this wide was sort of an experiment. Most of (Allen's) movies open in just a few runs. But seeing how broad it did play, we actually may add some new runs in the next few weeks."
Columbia's PG-13-rated youth appeal dance film "Center Stage" slipped two slots to eighth place in its second weekend with a quiet ESTIMATED $3.3 million (-28%) at 1,506 theaters (theater count unchanged; $2,191 per theater). Its cume is approximately $9.2 million.
Directed by Nicholas Hytner, it stars Amanda Schull, Zoe Saldana, Susan May Pratt, Peter Gallagher, Donna Murphy and Ethan Stiefel.
20th Century Fox's PG-13-rated drama "Where the Heart Is" fell two notches to ninth place in its fourth week with a softer ESTIMATED $2.9 million (-29%) at 2,155 theaters (-256 theaters; $1,346 per theater). Its cume is approximately $25.8 million.
"Heart," which cost about $15 million to make, was picked up by Fox for domestic and English speaking territories for only $9 million.
Directed and produced by Matt Williams, it stars Natalie Portman, Ashley Judd, Stockard Channing and Joan Cusack.
Rounding out the Top Ten was Universal's "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas," the PG-rated prequel to the 1996 "Flintstones" blockbuster, down five rocks in its fourth week with a calm ESTIMATED $2.5 million (-46%) at 2,692 theaters (-433 theaters; $928 per theater). Its cume is approximately $27.8 million, heading for about $35 million in domestic theaters.
Directed by Brian Levant, director of the original "Flintstones," the prequel stars Mark Addy and Stephen Baldwin.
OTHER OPENINGS
There were no other significant openings this weekend.
SNEAK PREVIEWS
Buena Vista/Touchstone held sneak previews of its PG-13 rated action comedy "Shanghai Noon" at 1,230 theaters Saturday night.
Disney said the sneaks played to 76% capacity with 40% of the performances sold out. Those on hand scored it 91% in the Top Two Boxes (excellent and very good).
"Shanghai" opens May 26 at about 2,700-2,800 theaters.
Directed by Tom Dey, "Shanghai" stars Jackie Chan, Owen C. Wilson and Lucy Liu.
EXPANSIONS
On the expansion front, Lions Gate Films' R-rated dark comedy "The Big Kahuna" widened in its fourth week, placing 18th with an unexciting ESTIMATED $0.74 million at 309 theaters (+288 theaters; $2,390 per theater). Its cume is approximately $1.1 million.
Directed by John Swanbeck, "Kahuna" stars Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito and Peter Facinelli.
Paramount Classics' R-rated drama about teen suicide, "The Virgin Suicides" added a few theaters in its fifth week, placing 21st (in a tie with "I Dreamed Of Africa") with a soft ESTIMATED $0.43 million (-29%) at 275 theaters (+5 theaters; $1,565 per theater). Its cume is approximately $2.4 million.
Written and directed by Sofia Coppola, it stars James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Dunst and Josh Hartnett.
USA Films' PG-13-rated drama "Up At The Villa" went wider in its third week, placing 24th with a calm ESTIMATED $0.25 million (-5%) at 109 theaters (+22 theaters; $2,324 per theater). Its cume is approximately $1.1 million.
Directed by Philip Haas, it stars Kristin Scott Thomas, Sean Penn, James Fox, Derek Jacobi and Anne Bancroft.
Miramax's R-rated comedy "East Is East" added a few theaters in its sixth week, placing 25th with a quiet ESTIMATED $0.19 million (-6%) at 66 theaters (+3 theaters; $2,900 per theater). Its cume is approximately $1.5 million.
Produced by Leslee Udwin and directed by Damien O'Donnell, "East" stars Om Puri and Linda Bassett.
Miramax Films' R-rated contemporary version of "Hamlet" began expanding in its second week, placing 27th with an encouraging ESTIMATED $0.099 million at 13 theaters (+9 theaters; $7,631 per theater). Its cume is approximately $0.2 million.
Directed by Michael Almereyda, it stars Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Sam Shepard, Diane Venora, Bill Murray, Liev Schreiber and Julia Stiles.
WEEKEND COMPARISONS
Key films -- those grossing more than $500,000 for the weekend -- took in approximately $108.75 million, up about 4.37% from the comparable weekend last year when key films grossed $104.20 million.
This weekend's key film gross was up about 34.87% from this year's previous weekend, when key films grossed $80.63 million.
Last year, 20th Century Fox's opening week of "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - Episode One" was first with $64.81 million at 2,970 theaters ($21,822 per theater); and Universal's third week of "The Mummy" was second with $13.79 million at 3,276 theaters ($4,210 per theater). The top two films one year ago grossed $78.6 million. This year, the top two films grossed an ESTIMATED $57.7 million.
STUDIO MARKET SHARES
Based on business by key films (those grossing $500,000 or more), last weekend's top six distributors were:
Buena Vista (Disney and Touchstone) was first with two films("Dinosaur" and "Keeping the Faith"), grossing an ESTIMATED $39.8 million or 36.6% of the market.
DreamWorks was second with three films("Gladiator," "Road Trip" and "Small Time Crooks"), grossing an ESTIMATED $37.9 million or 34.9% of the market.
Universal was third with four films ("U-571," "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas," "Screwed" and "Erin Brockovich"), grossing an ESTIMATED $9.99 million or 9.2% of the market.
New Line was fourth with three films ("Frequency," "Love &amp; Basketball" and "Final Destination"), grossing an ESTIMATED $6.6 million or 6.1% of the market.
Sony Pictures Releasing (Columbia, TriStar, Screen Gems) was fifth with two films ("Center Stage" and "28 Days"), grossing an ESTIMATED $3.96 million or 3.6% of the market.
Warner Bros. was sixth with one film ("Battlefield Earth"), grossing an ESTIMATED $3.83 million or 3.5% of the market.
ADDITIONAL ESTIMATES
(11)Screwed/Universal: Theaters: 1,761 (+2) Gross: $1.77 million (-47%) Average per theater: $1,005 Cume: $6.1 million
(12)Love &amp; Basketball/New Line: Theaters: 833 (-214) Gross: $1.57 million (-19%) Average per theater: $1,885 Cume: $21.9 million
(13)Rules of Engagement/Paramount: Theaters: 1,062 (-556) Gross: $1.18 million (-33%) Average per theater: $1,106 Cume: $58.5 million
(14)Erin Brockovich/Universal: Theaters: 947 (-544) Gross: $1.11 million (-35%) Average per theater: $1,175 Cume: $120.2 million
(15)Held Up/Trimark: Theaters: 679 (-9) Gross: $1.1 million (-42%) (tie) Average per theater: $1,620 Cume: $3.5 million
(16)Keeping the Faith/Buena Vista: Theaters: 842 (-727) Gross: $1.1 million (-42%) (tie) Average per theater: $1,305 Cume: $34.0 million
(17)Final Destination/New Line: Theaters: 944 (0) Gross: $0.73 million (-35%) Average per theater: $1,114 Cume: $49.4 million
(18)The Big Kahuna/Lions Gate: (see EXPANSIONS above)
(19)Return to Me/MGM: Theaters: 733 (-470) Gross: $0.71 million (-38%) Average per theater: $965 Cume: $30.1 million
(20)28 Days/Columbia: Theaters: 778 (-977) Gross: $0.66 million (-55%) Average per theater: $850 Cume: $35.5 million
(21)I Dreamed Of Africa/Columbia: Theaters: 700 (-1,412) Gross: $0.43 million (-71%) (tie) Average per theater: $620 Cume: $5.9 million
(21)The Virgin Suicides/Paramount Classics: (see EXPANSIONS above) (tie)
(23)The Skulls/Universal: Theaters: 305 (-270) Gross: $0.3 million (-35%) Average per theater: $985 Cume: $34.7 million
(24)Up At The Villa/USA Films: (see EXPANSIONS above)
(25)East Is East/Miramax: (see EXPANSIONS above)
(26)The Road to El Dorado/DreamWorks: Theaters: 451 (-576) Gross: $0.17 million (-84%) Average per theater: $375 Cume: $49.5 million
(27)Hamlet/Miramax: (see EXPANSIONS above)
(28)Time Code/Sony/Screen Gems: Theaters: 42 (0) Gross: $0.08 million (-37%) Average per theater: $1,905 Cume: $0.5 million
(29)Human Traffic/Miramax: (see EXPANSIONS above)

"Gladiator" continued to rule the box office this weekend, collecting another $24 million in tribute from moviegoers.
The R-rated action adventure from DreamWorks easily held on to first place in its second week with a hefty ESTIMATED $24.3 million (-30%) at 2,943 theaters (+40 theaters; $8,257 per theater). Its cume is approximately $73.3 million, heading for about $150 million in domestic theaters.
"Gladiator's" per theater average was the highest for any film playing in wide release this weekend.
"Obviously, it's a strong hold," DreamWorks distribution head Jim Tharp said Sunday morning. "The positive word-of-mouth continues to be very strong."
Although DreamWorks is distributing "Gladiator" domestically, Universal is releasing it internationally. The two studios are 50-50 partners, sharing equally in its success. The film reportedly cost $103 million to make.
Directed by Ridley Scott, "Gladiator" stars Russell Crowe.
Warner Bros. and Franchise Pictures' PG-13 rated sci-fi action adventure "Battlefield Earth" opened in second place to a solid ESTIMATED $12.32 million at 3,307 theaters ($3,725 per theater).
"I'm happy to be number two," Warner Bros. Distribution president Dan Fellman said Sunday morning. "The reviews were not good. It shows how strong John Travolta is as a star. To come in number two in a very competitive marketplace is a nice place to be. Franchise is very pleased that it opened up (well). They're going to support the movie."
Directed by Roger Christian, it stars John Travolta, Barry Pepper and Forest Whitaker.
"U-571," Universal's PG-13 World War II submarine drama, dropped anchor in third place, down one rung in its fourth week, but holding well with an ESTIMATED $5.78 million (-26%) at 2,820 theaters (+119 theaters; $2,050 per theater). Its cume is approximately $57.9 million, heading for about $75 million in domestic theaters.
Directed by Jonathan Mostow, "U-571" stars Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel and Jon Bon Jovi.
"We're very happy," Universal distribution president Nikki Rocco said Sunday morning. "I think 'U-571' has found its niche in the marketplace (and) it will continue to play. It didn't get hurt tremendously (this week), as much as it did last week from the opening of 'Gladiator.' Obviously, there's room in the marketplace for these kinds of films."
New Line's "Frequency," which was fourth last week, tied for fourth place in its third week, showing strong legs with an ESTIMATED $4.8 million (-26%) at 2,470 theaters (-161 theaters; $1,943 per theater). Its cume is approximately $24.6 million, heading for about $35 million in domestic theatres.
Directed by Gregory Hoblit, it stars Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel.
"It's what we've said from the beginning - everyone who sees it, likes it," New Line executive vice president, distribution David Tuckerman said Sunday morning. "Everybody's talking about it."
Columbia's opening of its PG-13-rated youth appeal dance film "Center Stage" tied for fourth place with a calm ESTIMATED $4.8 million at 1,506 theaters ($3,187 per theater).
"There was a nice turnout of teenage girls as the main audience," Sony Pictures Releasing president Jeff Blake said Sunday morning. "And there were very good exit polls on that segment (of the audience). It was 80% in the Top Two Boxes (excellent and very good) and a 74% definite recommend. Those are numbers that certainly encourage us that we can go forward with this group. Actually, the reaction of the males that attended really was pretty good, also, but not many males attended."
Blake also pointed out, "It's a $19 million picture and should turn out fine (in terms of Sony not getting hurt on it)."
Directed by Nicholas Hytner, it stars Amanda Schull, Zoe Saldana, Susan May Pratt, Peter Gallagher, Donna Murphy and Ethan Stiefel.
Universal's "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas," the PG rated prequel to the 1996 "Flintstones" blockbuster, which was third last week, tied for fourth place in its third week with a still-lively ESTIMATED $4.8 million (-28%) at 3,128 theaters (+77 theaters; $1,535 per theater). Its cume is approximately $24.6 million, heading for about $35 million in domestic theaters.
Directed by Brian Levant, director of the original "Flintstones," the prequel stars Mark Addy and Stephen Baldwin.
"'Flintstones' is still the only family film (in the marketplace now)," Universal's Rocco said. "So we are pleased with its holding power this weekend. Hopefully, there will be room for it in the (coming) marketplace. Next weekend when 'Dinosaur' opens, it will just stimulate the family business."
20th Century Fox's PG-13-rated drama "Where the Heart Is" dropped two pegs to seventh place in its third week with a slower beating ESTIMATED $3.6 million (-30%) at 2,410 theaters (-29 theaters; $1,494 per theater). Its cume is approximately $21.1 million.
"Heart," which cost about $15 million to make, was picked up by Fox for domestic and English speaking territories for only $9 million.
Directed and produced by Matt Williams, it stars Natalie Portman, Ashley Judd, Stockard Channing and Joan Cusack.
Universal's PG-13-rated comedy "Screwed" opened quietly in eighth place to an ESTIMATED $3.4 million at 1,759 theaters ($1,935 per theater), not nearly as well as its 12% first-choice tracking had suggested would be the case.
Written and directed by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, it stars Norm MacDonald, David Chappelle and Danny DeVito.
New Line's PG-13-rated urban appeal drama "Love &amp; Basketball" moved down court three positions in its fourth week to ninth place with a calm ESTIMATED $2.0 million (-39%) at 1,047 theaters (-145 theaters; $1,910 per theater). Its cume is approximately $22.3 million, heading for about $30 million.
Written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, it stars Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan.
Rounding out the Top Ten was Buena Vista/Touchstone's PG-13-rated romantic comedy "Keeping the Faith," down three notches in its fifth week with a slower ESTIMATED $1.9 million (-32%) at 1,569 theaters (-445 theaters; $1,179 per theatre). Its cume is approximately $32.3 million.
Directed by Edward Norton, it stars Ben Stiller, Jenna Elfman and Edward Norton.
Last weekend also saw the arrival of Trimark Pictures' PG-13-rated urban appeal action romance "Held Up." Exhibitor Relations reported an estimate of $1.9 million, which would tie it for 10th place. Other distributors' estimates, however, had 'Held Up' coming in as low as $1.61 million, placing it 12th at 688 theaters ($2,340 per theater).
Directed by Steve Rash, it stars Jamie Foxx and Nia Long.
OTHER OPENINGS
Miramax Films opened its R-rated contemporary version of "Hamlet," placing 26th with an encouraging ESTIMATED $0.061 million at 4 theaters in New York and Los Angeles ($15,250 per theater).
Directed by Michael Almereyda, it stars Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Sam Shepard, Diane Venora, Bill Murray, Liev Schreiber and Julia Stiles.
"We'll go to the top 10 markets this Friday on about 15 screens," Miramax senior vice president, marketing David Kaminow said Sunday morning.
SNEAK PREVIEWS
DreamWorks held sneak previews Friday night of its R-rated youth comedy "Road Trip" at 800 theaters.
"They were very good," DreamWorks distribution head Jim Tharp said Sunday morning. "The reaction was very positive and over 90% in the Top Two Boxes (excellent and very good). It ran 60-70% capacity."
"Trip" opens Friday (5/19) at about 2,400 theaters.
Directed by Todd Phillips, it stars Breckin Meyer and Seann William Scott.
EXPANSIO S
On the expansion front, Paramount Classics' R-rated drama about teen suicide, "The Virgin Suicides" expanded in its fourth week, placing 19th with a weak ESTIMATED $0.62 million at 270 theaters (+170 theaters; $2,285 per theater). Its cume is approximately $1.7 million.
Written and directed by Sofia Coppola, it stars James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Dunst and Josh Hartnett.
Miramax's R-rated comedy "East Is East" added a few theaters in its fifth week, placing 23rd with a quiet ESTIMATED $0.21 million at 63 theaters (+2 theaters; $3,330 per theater). Its cume is approximately $1.3 million.
Produced by Leslee Udwin and directed by Damien O'Donnell, "East" stars Om Puri and Linda Bassett.
Sony's Screen Gems label expanded its R-rated digitally shot comedy "Time Code" in its third week, placing 24th with an unexciting ESTIMATED $0.14 million at 42 theaters (+35 theaters; $3,214 per theater). Its cume is approximately $0.4 million.
Directed by Mike Figgis, it stars Saffron Burrows and Salma Hayek.
Lions Gate Films' R-rated dark comedy "The Big Kahuna" went wider in its third week, placing 25th with an okay ESTIMATED $0.11 million at 16 theaters (+8 theaters; $6,737 per theater). Its cume is approximately $0.3 million.
Directed by John Swanbeck, "Kahuna" stars Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito and Peter Facinelli.
Miramax's R-rated comedy "Human Traffic" widened in its second week, placing 27th with a stop-and-go ESTIMATED $0.034 at 26 theaters (+21 theaters; $1,325 per theater). Its cume is approximately $0.05 million.
Written and directed by Justin Kerrigan, it stars John Simm, Lorraine Pilkington, Shaun Parkes, Danny Dyer, Nicola Reynolds and Dean Davies.
WEEKEND COMPARISONS
Key films -- those grossing more than $500,000 for the weekend -- took in approximately $79.40 million, up about 25.37% from the comparable weekend last year when key films grossed $63.33 million.
This weekend's key film gross was down about 3.43% from this year's previous weekend, when key films grossed $82.22 million.
Last year, Universal's second week of "The Mummy" was first with $24.86 million at 3,226 theaters ($7,705 per theater); and 20th Century Fox's third week of "Entrapment" was second with $9.08 million at 2,879 theaters ($3,153 per theater). The top two films one year ago grossed $34.0 million. This year, the top two films grossed an ESTIMATED $36.6 million.
STUDIO MARKET SHARES
Based on business by key films (those grossing $500,000 or more), last weekend's top six distributors were:
DreamWorks was first with two films ("Gladiator" and "The Road to El Dorado"), grossing an ESTIMATED $24.96 million or 31.4% of the market.
Universal was second with three films ("U-571," "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas" and "Erin Brockovich"), grossing an ESTIMATED $13.99 million or 17.6% of the market.
Warner Bros. was third with one film ("Battlefield Earth"), grossing an ESTIMATED $12.32 million or 15.5% of the market.
New Line was fourth with three films ("Frequency," "Love &amp; Basketball" and "Final Destination"), grossing an ESTIMATED $7.98 million or 10.0% of the market.
Sony Pictures Releasing (Columbia, TriStar, Screen Gems) was fifth with three films ("Center Stage," "I Dreamed Of Africa" and "28 Days"), grossing an ESTIMATED $7.70 million or 9.7% of the market.
20th Century Fox was sixth with one film ("Where the Heart Is"), grossing an ESTIMATED $3.6 million or 4.5% of the market.
ADDITIONAL ESTIMATES
(11)Erin Brockovich/Universal: Theaters: 1,486 (-456) Gross: $1.64 million (-25%) Average per theater: $1,105 Cume: $118.4 million
(12)HELD UP/Trimark: (see above)
(13)28 Days/Columbia: Theaters: 1,755 (-658) Gross: $1.5 million (-36%) Average per theater: $855 Cume: $34.4 million
(14)Rules of Engagement/Paramount: Theaters: 1,618 (-643) Gross: $1.46 million (-40%) Average per theater: $900 Cume: $56.4 million
(15)I Dreamed Of Africa/Columbia: Theaters: 2,112 (0) Gross: $1.4 million (-42%) Average per theater: $663 Cume: $4.8 million
(16)Final Destination/New Line: Theaters: 944 (-159) Gross: $1.18 million (-28%) Average per theater: $1,245 Cume: $49.8 million
(17)Return to Me/MGM: Theaters: 1,203 (-500) Gross: $1.06 million (-30%) Average per theater: $880 Cume: $28.9 million
(18)The Road to El Dorado/DreamWorks: Theaters: 1,027 (-501) Gross: $0.66 million (-28%) Average per theater: $640 Cume: $48.7 million
(19)The Virgin Suicides/Paramount Classics: (see EXPANSIONS above)
(20)High Fidelity/BV: Theaters: 361 (-191) Gross: $0.57 million (-23%) Average per theater: $1,590 Cume: $24.2 million
(21)The Skulls/Universal: Theaters: 573 (-296) Gross: $0.45 million (-34%) Average per theater: $785 Cume: $34.2 million
(22)Up At The Villa/USA Films: Theaters: 87 (-2) Gross: $0.29 million (-16%) Average per theater: $3,275 Cume: $0.8 million
(23)East Is East/Miramax: (see EXPANSIONS above)
(24)Time Code/Sony/Screen Gems: (see EXPANSIONS above)
(25)The Big Kahuna/Lions Gate: (see EXPANSIONS above)
(26)HAMLET/Miramax: (see OTHER OPENINGS above)
(27)Human Traffic/Miramax: (see EXPANSIONS above)

Had breakthrough role as Dave in his feature film debut, "The Full Monty"

Had featured role in the British sitcom "The Thin Blue Line"

Played Bill Miller in the CBS sitcom "Still Standing"

Cast as Robert Baratheon in HBO's adaptation of author George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, called "Game of Thrones"

Played a butler of Chris Rock's character in "Down to Earth"

Starred in the Disney live action feature "Around the World in 80 Days"

Summary

Introduced to American audiences as one of the amateur male strippers of "The Full Monty" (1997), Mark Addy made a cottage industry of playing men of unlimited ambition and unfulfilled potential. A graduate of London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Addy turned to film and television when he grew frustrated by his limited options on the stage. His feature film debut in "The Full Monty" brought Addy to the United States, where he lent support to Michael Keaton in the fantasy "Jack Frost" (1998) and replaced John Goodman as the embodiment of cartoon icon Fred Flintstone in "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas" (2000). His stock rising immeasurably via his work with heartthrob Heath Ledger in "A Knight's Tale" (2002) and "The Order" (2003), Addy transitioned to the small screen with a lead role in the American sitcom "Still Standing" (CBS, 2002-06). Alternating better roles onstage with high profile film jobs, Addy turned up in "The Time Machine" (2002) and "Around the World in 80 Days," based on novels by H. G. Wells. His peripheral participation adding value to "Robin Hood" (2010) with Russell Crowe and "Barney's Version" (2010) starring Paul Giamatti, Addy had a chance to take focus and throw considerably more shade as the troubled King Robert Baratheon in HBO's epic miniseries "Game of Thrones" (2011- ), based on the award-winning fantasy novels of George R. R. Martin. An instant hit with TV viewers, "Game of Thrones" catapulted the actor out of the ghetto of low comedy, giving Mark Addy a stature and a following befitting a versatile character actor with the mass appeal of a leading man.